Ahead of Liverpool's much-anticipated Premier League battle with Tottenham Hotspur later today, Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas has praised the Reds spending during the January transfer window.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, AVB - who was on Liverpool's radar to replace Kenny Dalglish last summer - praised the Reds for buying 'very well and widely' in January, and reserved specific praise for Brazilian youngster Philippe Coutinho. He enthused:

"Coutinho's explosion came at the expense of Raheem Sterling but he is a great player and they have Sturridge doing ever so well for them too.

"That has given them more confidence. They are playing good football and are hoping to get on a good run of results that they haven't found yet"

AVB is right - the arrival of Coutinho will consign Sterling to the bench for the rest of the season, but that is probably a good thing for the youngster's overall fitness and development.

Defeat to Spurs today will almost certainly end the Reds (already slim) chances of making the top four, and AVB agrees. He noted:

"I think it will probably end their hopes (of Champions League qualification) if we win, but you never know"

A win for Liverpool today would take the Reds up to 6th in the table, only 7 points behind struggling Chelsea, who seem to be on a downward spiral.

I wonder how things would've gone this season if Liverpool had got AVB instead of Brendan Rodgers? Would the club be higher in the table right now? Would the Portuguese have made a quicker positive impact? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad LFC got Rodgers, but it's interesting to speculate about what might have been.

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gilstrap
said...

well we wouldn't have wasted 25m on Allen and borini for a start....i actaully wanted avb at anfield as i feel hes mentally stronger than rogers when it comes to dealing with senior players ...i like a lot of what rogers is trying to do ..but im not to sure about his man managment skills at the top level or his transfer judgment

We have a very good team in the making, imo. Sterling playing less is a good thing. He needs time to develop both on the training pitch as in matches. Overplaying youngsters doesn't help. Would we be better off with AVB instead of Rodgers? You never know. We might be worse off. How much better are Spurs with him than they were before? They weren't exactly poor last season. Our league form in the second half though was, well, nothing special to put it mildly.

We must beat this spurs bogey team, its been ages we dont do so, they beat us home and away every time we play them, and they played on thursday as well, so no excuses today we must win not for top 4 hopes but for the pride and prestige, it would be such a shame to lose yet again to them

I actually was hoping that FSG 'll take AVB over BR, but BR has proved that he also can be a great Manager in few years time. However, from defensive game, holding on to a lead & edge out teams with tight games, AVB is much better. At current level, with same team, I believe BR's team 'll score more, but AVB's team 'll collect more points. BR's team might win 4-0, 5-0 playing fantastic teams, in between has surrendered 1-0 or 2-0 lead too many times. AVB's team 'll edge out a lot of 1-0 & 2-1.

But things might change next year, if we can get a pair of quality CBs.

I don't think that Rodger's and AVB are too dissimilar. They're playing styles are closely related (with AVB being slightly more direct), and their transfer activity have both been relatively bad, to be honest. Borini and Allen for LFC, Dempsey and Siggurdson for Spurs.

Who would I prefer? Hard to say, Spurs have had a better season than us, but they're squad is much better than ours, so it's hard to judge.

I think we'll both reap rewards as they're both very good managers. In the next 4 seasons, I expect LFC to have nailed down a regular Champions League spot, and Spurs to be fighting for the title.

I disagree, mate, with your comment on his dealings with senior players: he never had Chelsea's dressing room and the likes of Terry, Lampard, Cole, Drogba etc walked all over him and undermined him from the outset.Spurs, to me, seem less clique and they don't have players in their squad that I'd consider are wankers. Added to that their best player, Bale, is still young and learning the game and has responded well to his new manager's instructions.

I'm glad we got Rodgers, I'm happy with what I have seen and can see happening. We're scoring goals for fun right now and, if we can either a)- get in a couple of solid defenders or b)- get the Agger/Skrtel partnership to function like it did last season, then we'll be very difficult to beat and always pose a massive threat up front.

Hard one to judge BR vs AVB. I think Brendan has done a great job so far in redeeming the club as a brand and his press finesse skills are excellent. He wasnt helped with that Being Liverpool programme. Jesus that was bad. Talk about a kick in the teeth as you walk in the door.The football we are playing now is nothing short of breathtaking at times and if that contiues to improve to a point where we are consistent, the sky is the limit. I really feel that and it makes me very happy at last to be able to say that.AVB has frailties and i dont think he dealt very well with the egos at Chelsea. He walked into a very good squad in Tottenham, a squad that had been built up in depth over a period of 4 years with some great players in every position and a chairman with sensible purchase policy. I think AVB has a good eye for players, after all, hes the one who brought Mata the Chelsea.Rodgers walked into a dynasty of shit to be honest with bad contracts, over paid over priced underperforming players.I couldnt have been happier watchin Carroll keave. I mean, how much stick as a club were we getting for him. He was hopeless. Rodgers has made brave and uncompromising decisions, sometimes out of necessity and sometimes for progress. He has shifted the deadwood very quickly and admirably and has done what i thought impossible-made Downing and Hendo perform. All thats left for Brendan to do now is to have successful summer transfers and start delivering results next season. The results that we're capable of. We ended the first half of this season at 12th and on form we are 3rd since Christmas. I like AVB and i like their way of playing, but i think we are a more exciting prospect in every department, especially for the future. All thats left is for Rodgers to produce like the big boys we once were and his name will be sung from the rafters of the KOP which i think he is desperate for.

BR seems to be a better manager for the longer term. He has a clear and coherent plan as to how he would like to set up a certain playing style and system from the earliest stages of the academy development to the first team. This is vital as we would not continuously change players and continuously rebuilt entire teams to suit the different managers' style of play in the future. This is not only financially ruinous but the time needed for players to finally adapt and settle to the new system often times make it difficult to return us as a top four team in the PL and one revered in Europe. As in everything in life, time and patience are needed to complement a clear vision and hard work, and not forgetting in maintaining the hope and belief of what LFC is all about, and will soon to be, the very best football team in the world. YNWA

Two good young managers playing football the right way, Liverpool have Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho, Downing, Gerrard etc, who carry a goal threat, we are no one man team. I have really enjoyed watching us this season, as i did under KK too. The future of Liverpool is looking very bright, just look at the academy teams, playing lovely football too..............a win today then who know's???

1) Liverpool have scored more lge goals than Spurs and City2) 2nd most clean sheets3) Suarez top scorer on 28 goals4) Gerrard most PL assists5) Great business in the January window6) Players wanting to sign new deals, when they could have walked7) Commercially doing well with plenty of new sponsorship deals8) No debt owed to banks, only debt that FSG can turn into equity9) Big season ticket waiting list, im number 15,935 after 8 years on it10) FSG committing £150m to redevelop Anfield

In terms of attack, we have greatly improved under Rodgers compared to when King Kenny was in charge. We are actually third in the league!

Goal Scored1. Manutd-682. Chelsea-563. Liverpool-53

Defense-wise we are not as good as we were last season but this can be attributed to our defenders not adapting fast enough to the change of tactics, or the lost of form of our previously solid center back partnership of agger/skrtel, or stupid defensive blunders especially from our GK..But still we are not that bad as we are actually 7th in terms of goal conceded whereby most of the top teams besides ManCity have conceded 30+ goals anyway.

I dont know what will happen from now till the end of the season. The stats may improve or it may get worse but from what I saw uptill now I can say that we made the right choice by appointing Brendan Rodgers! Afterall what have Andre Villa Boas done more than Harry Redknap did last season? The latter only failed to qualify for champions league just because chelsea won it!

I'm sorry, AVB hasn't been a plus for any team he's been associated with outside of Portugal. As far as I'm concerned he's the Dave Wanstedt of soccer coaches. BR will do just fine. SAF had to start somewhere too. If BR can survive the thrashing he receives from the mouthes of alleged LFC 'supporters' to have a successful season, he'll be my pick for manager of the year.

I don't think he is mentally stronger... And he could not stamp his authority in the chelsea dressing room...

BR has some more arrogance (in a good way) and he seems a stronger character... BR initial transfer dealings were peculiar to say the least, but the january additions are spot on... Sturridge has surprise a lot of people, including me... I never expected him to be this good in the centre forward position!

As for AVB, i just don't like the guy... And what's with the taking a dump pose?! :S

If Rogers learns from his mistakes this season (tactical mistakes/unsuitable substitutions), he is going to be very good...

But he needs to stop his favouritism... I cannot understand why he is picking Allen over Hendo now... Hendo was doing so well...Then Allen scores in Europa and he is back in the team...Allen is a good player but at this moment, Hendo should start over him... He contributes much much more!

Spot on! Who says we can't have too much of a good thing? LFC was, is, and will always be the most endearing and one of a kind special club in the world. And not forgetting the YNWA anthem that is so mystical yet magical, uniting all LFC fans the world over for generations...and what about the songs individually created by LFC fans to LFC players? I challenge any club that come close to having a club anthem, creativity and guile and unity as unique and powerful as our fans....The list of good things go on and on for LFC!

Knowledgeable, objective, and awesome piece of research! Excellent post! Its these datas that make us optimistic and reasons enough why we should stick with BR and support this man for at least the next 3 seasons...and perhaps beat Alex Ferguson tenure length in the future, and along with it smashing all AF records.

As long as the sugar coated peanut BR stops over praising and underpromise...simply just shut up and do the job and let the football do the talking, i will stick with him. Just pissed off why so many of our fans bought into the mediocre talks and talked abt requiring 3 or even 5 years to rebuild. There isn't that much wrong with us and who is to say KK will be worse off if he had stayed or if we have appointed AVB? I'm just glad someone in the management is still sane enough not to appoint Paul Lambert or Roberto Martinez...

When Benitez had just signed at Chelsea I said I would love it if he would win them the league just to shut the "people" up who were less than welcoming to him. Now I think an even better scenario would be if he efs up CL qualification by letting us overtake them. Imagine how infuriated those primates will be then! I think pictures of that will be even more entertaining than Ronaldo crying.

i wanted rafa back, but said i,ll give brendon time..next season will be his big test..avb or brendon...i think brendon...i think he,s doing his best..and i hope it works out..but ive allways beilived some managers are made for teams ie shankly, paisley, etc for liverpool fergie for man u..i often wonder how good any of them would of been, for other teams..thats why if it does not work out for brendon ill like rafa back his heart is at anfield..and i reckon with surrport of the owners he would do well..also brendon needs to improve on buying players...allen borni assadi thoe the latter has played well when picked.noone can tell me borni is a better striker than carroll..even if carroll was on the bench..i think he was a better choice than borni or young morgan..now we have sturridge faie enough...but we had noone till he came only suarez...so next season will be his big test..i hope he does it...

Agree with Rodgers' man management. Just don't think AVB would have done much better for Liverpool. He acquired a good squad at Spurs while Rodgers acquired Kenny's mess n still have a bit to do with Hendo and Carroll. I'm so happy with Rodgers and the fact that all the players likes and are with him, we just need the owner will give that little more support for Rodgers for new recruit for the real challenge that can will happen but Suarez must sat. The whole team loves Suarez but I do sense a little discomfort in Sturridge. He don't look too happy despite doing very well. I think it has to do with Suarez's attention from everywhere n the ones from the team is is causing him appear not to happy. But it's my guess from his expressions and body language. On a seperate not, he was absent against throughout . It may be from missing games thru the injury that he may not be mentally match fit or ready. To add the comparison of AVB to Rodgers, AVB get to buy Rodgers had to sell.

Agreed, not sure AVB would have been able to get the best out of Henderson, Downing or Enrique, but BR has, even though many criticised the way he handled them, saying it was bad man management, but it has worked, so it turns out it wasn't bad man management afterall.